Sikkim trivia

BY SHITAL PRADHAN

 

When I started my blog on Sikkim, I had it clear in my mind that this blog shall help people look out for knowledge on Sikkim. I always wanted a knowledge house only about Sikkim, it's past, present and future. I do not know over the years how much did I succeed but my determination to let others understand my Sikkim is always giving me a push. I had over a time collected trivia on Sikkim from different sources and used to share it on Sikkimonline.info the best forum site on Sikkim that is very close to me. I here share this Sikkim trivia with the readers who follow my writings too.

Sikkim corner:

• Toppakhani Tunnel is the first motorable tunnel in Sikkim.
• Burn and Burn Company Pvt Ltd, Howrah built one of the oldest iron bridges in Sikkim, the iron bridge of Singtam in 1929.
• Gyamptso Sangdarpa is the real name of VC Ganju Lama.
• Rabindra Nath Tagore, a noble laureate had visited the Rinchepong Dak Bangalow where he composed parts of his famous work. "The Gitanjali"
• Singtam Senior Secondary School was earlier known as Gandhi School.
• The original name of Sirwani is Sirubari.
• Electricity first reached Pakyong on August 4, 1976, when BB Lal, the governor of Sikkim switched on the light at the stroke of 2 pm.
• the second-highest mountain in Sikkim is Kabur tshu.
• The first motorised vehicle that visited Sikkim was in the year 1925 and it was the " Beatle".
• Beatle car was followed by Dodge cars in the 1930s thus began the fascinating journey of joining Siliguri with Gangtok.
• The governor of Sikkim BB Lal inaugurated the Central School at Deorali on September 1, 1976.
• The first boiler farm in Sikkim was started at Baluakhani, Gangtok by the army personnel on November 22, 1976.
• BB Lal, Governor of Sikkim inaugurated the footpath constructed between Zero miles and Deorali bazaar along the national highway on December 11, 1976.
• Eve’s Beauty Parlour at Gangtok is the first beauty parlour started in Sikkim. It was started by Mrs T. Dahul and Mrs A. Paragar. It started functioning on December 24, 1976.
• A tornado kills one at Ranipool on April 29, 1976. The tornado unprecedented in the history of Sikkim was at the speed of 50 miles per kilometre uprooted many trees and many rooftops were blown away. The effect was witnessed at Gangtok too.
• TNA school magazine “Tenacius” won the national award in the third All India School Magazines Competition on January 21, 1979.
• President rule was imposed in Sikkim on August 19, 1979.
• Karma Ludo from Sikkim represented India in the 1983 Asian School Games held in Seoul, South Korea.
• Mrs Mamoo Subba, Lady Health Visitor of the Health and Family Welfare Department became the first Sikkimese to receive the national award for nursing on August 8, 1985.
• Akkar Bridge at Jorethang is India’s first conceived cable-stayed bridge. 168-meter long span deck is supported by 34 pairs of cable stays.
• Sikkim was open to foreigners for the first time in 1990. Sikkim remains restricted to foreigners keeping its cultural treasures and scenic splendours jealously guarded against the world’s gaze.
• Meenakshi Madan Rasaily is the first woman judge from Sikkim. She was appointed as Judicial Magistrate-cum-Civil Judge in December 1990.
• Bhaichung Bhutia was adjudged the best footballer in the 1990 Subroto Cup.
• Kalchakra Initiation was held at Gangtok, Dalai Lama was present.
• Tri junction between Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet is Batang La.
• Namzyit Partam is the original name of Chungthang.
• Sir Douglas W. Fresh Field was the first European to explore the Mt Kanchenjunga area.

• Aleister Crowley and Dr Jules Jacot-Guillarmod led the first expedition to attempt Mt Kanchenjunga in the year 1905.
• The first successful expedition was led by a British team in 1955 where Joe Brown and George Band became the first men to climb to the summit. This was followed by another successful Indian expedition in 1977.
• Ten years later, another Indian attempt by the Assam Rifles claimed the life of the only Indian to conquer Mount Everest without oxygen.
• Phu Dorjee died whilst descending from the summit of Kanchenjunga.

• The last expedition from the Sikkim side was made by a joint Indo-Japanese team in 1991.
• Silk route Agreements were signed between India and China by Prime Minister Vajpayee on June 23, 2003